The sight of an open top red City Sightseeing bus is an iconic fixture on the roads of Cape Town. They can be seen in abundance, in the City Centre, along the coastline and in tourist hotspots. Just outside The Bay Hotel, each day, like clockwork, these brightly coloured busses come to a stop for locals and tourists to hop on and take in the Mother City.
The City Sightseeing office offers the tour at a reasonable price and the tour has various routes and offerings. Options include a one or two-day passes, as well as Harbour Boat Cruise and a Wine Route tour. The Hop-on-Hop-off policy of the bus tour allows visitors to take in the sights at their leisure.
These are some of our favourite stops on the red bus tour of Cape Town:
1.Camps Bay
This Camps Bay stop is ideally located right in front of The Bay Hotel and the gorgeous Camps Bay beach. You can check out Camps Bay or stop here for a drink by the pool at Sandy B Private Beach Club after a long day on the bus. If you’re looking for a more substantial meal, you can check out any of the amazing cafés, bistros and restaurants on the Camps Bay strip.
If you’re an early riser, you can have a delicious breakfast at Tides – The Bay Hotel’s in-house, dedicated breakfast restaurant. They offer everything from a scrumptious continental breakfast to delicious, warm breakfasts from their a la carte menu.
2. The Waterfront
The Waterfront is a great stop to do some shopping at the award-winning Victoria Mall. Whether you’re looking for a good book, a new outfit or a uniquely South African shopping experience, the Victoria Mall has something for everyone.
Another thing to check out while you’re at the V&A Waterfront is the newly opened the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Gallery. In the short time that it has been open, the museum has already garnered international acclaim and has featured the work of several emerging and established African artists.
Transport to this stop can be arranged through the City Sightseeing office. It is also the starting point of the beautiful Harbour Cruise through the canals of Waterfront Village.
3. Table Mountain
Table Mountain is undoubtedly the crowning glory of the Mother City. Named as one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, it is no surprise that a stop at the Table Mountain cableway is popular on any of the Red Bus routes.
Table Mountain should allow access to visitors on most clear-sky days. However, during winter, when gloomy clouds hang over the mountain like a feather duvet, the cableway will most likely be closed. Thus, it is recommended to make a stop at Table Mountain should you visit the Mother City in the summertime.
Our favourite? The sunset trips! Make sure you get up the mountain before 8pm on summer nights to experience a sunset like no other!
You can pre-buy your cable car tickets from City Sightseeing and skip the queues at the Table Mountain cableway.
4. Kirstenbosch Gardens
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in South Africa. Famed for their newly added ‘Boomslang’ addition – which gives you a higher perspective of the glorious gardens – Kirstenbosch also plays hosts to summer sunset concerts in the summer and autumn on Sundays.
Pack a picnic basket, and settle into the natural beauty that is Kirstenbosch. Tickets aren’t that expensive, either, can be bought at the ticketing office at the gardens. If you would like to indulge in some local music on a sunny Sunday afternoon, it is highly recommended that you buy your tickets for the sunset concert in advance, as these tickets sell like hotcakes.
5. Constantia
Constantia is one of the oldest and most beautiful suburbs in Cape Town. It’s home to a slew of world famous wine estates, including the famed Groom Constantia, which is also the oldest wine estate in South Africa.
Other critically acclaimed and award-winning wine estates in the area include Beau Constantia, Eagle’s Nest and Buitenverwachting. A stop at any of these beautiful wine estates is highly recommended. Luckily the Red Bus tour knows that the Constantia Valley Wine Tour is a popular choice among locals and tourists, so they have created a special wine route tour on their bus.
You can get more information about the Constantia Valley on the Red Bus Wine Tour here.
Getting your ticket
Purchasing your ticket and hopping on the bus is a hassle-free experience and the open top offers stunning panoramic views. Each seat has a commentary system, available in 16 languages, where you can connect your complimentary earphones. The tour is perfect for tourists and would be extremely enjoyable for locals looking to see their city from an outsider’s perspective.
For enquiries on the experience visit the City Sightseeing website or stop by the micro-office just outside The Bay Hotel.